In some cases, e.g. when the result of an analytical measurement is used as a basis for a legal action, an inspection (validation) for determining whether or not the entire analytical measurement device has the specified characteristics is performed on a regular basis, or before or after specific measurements, in order to guarantee the correctness of the result of the analytical measurement. A point to be checked in the validation is whether or not the result of an analysis or measurement performed on a standard sample by the analytical measurement device with specified standard measurement conditions set in the device meets specified criteria. Whether or not some specific sections constituting the device meet specified criteria is also checked.
Such a validation is not only performed at stipulated periods of time but also before every critical measurement. Additionally, an appropriate level of inspection is performed as needed before normal measurements. Such validations and inspections are aimed at guaranteeing the correctness of the result of the analysis or measurement as well as preventing any interruption of the measurement by a malfunction of a section of the device. In particular, when the measurement is automatically performed for a long period of time, an interruption of the measurement does not only mean a waste of time but may possibly incur a waste of important samples.
To address this problem, an analytical measurement device system is proposed in Patent Literature 1, in which a tag is attached to each part constituting the device, and an identifying module for reading the tag is provided on the device side to manage expendable parts and inform users of the timing to replace such parts. With this system, it is possible to avoid the situation in which the timing to replace an expendable part comes in the middle of the measurement which is scheduled to be performed soon. This system can also inform users when an incorrect part is attached.
Patent Literature 2 discloses an analyzing device for sequentially performing analyses for a plurality of samples according to a preset analysis schedule. The analysis schedule includes items for specifying, for the analysis of each individual sample, whether or not a diagnostic operation needs to be performed and what kind of operation should be performed according to the result of the diagnosis. When a series of analyses are performed, the analyzing device checks the condition of each specified section in the device before or after the analysis of the sample for which the diagnostic operation is specified in the analysis schedule, and controls the analyzing operation according to the process steps as specified in the analysis schedule.